Jamie Rothwell trial: Images including snap of Wayne Rooney link five men to Encrochat handles - proving they're 'serious criminals' involved in guns and drugs, jury told

Pictures including a snap of Wayne Rooney and a ‘date night’ link men accused of gun and drug offences to Encrochat handles - proving they are ‘really serious criminals’ - a jury has been told. The men have gone on trial as prosecutors accused them of being involved in drug dealing on an ‘industrial scale’, and of having involvement with firearms.

Jamie Rothwell, 37; James Close, 40; Craig Makinson, 49; Callum Morris, 32; and Terrence McDonagh, 33, deny all the charges. Jurors at Minshull Street Crown Court were told that the defendants, except Mr McDonagh, allegedly used the EncroChat communications network.

Jaime Hamilton KC claimed the network was the ‘preserve of really serious criminals’, and that it afforded them a ‘technological cloak of invisibility’. It allowed communications to be ‘highly encrypted’ and police were unable to ‘crack’ the devices, he said.

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Mr Hamilton said the system was ‘undone’ after French law enforcement sent an update to EncroChat users which allowed police to gain access to the messages. Prosecutors allege Mr Rothwell, Mr Close, Mr Makinson and Mr Morris all operated on the network using different ‘handles’, or usernames.

Opening the case for the prosecution, Mr Hamilton told the jury: “The prosecution say that these men in the dock are really serious criminals, involved at the higher echelons of drug supply, prepared to ally firearms and serious violence to the peddling of drugs on an industrial scale. And Encrochat was both a tool of their trade, and ultimately their downfall.”

They claim that Mr Rothwell was known as ‘live-long’, Mr Close as ‘b*llsniffer’ or ‘sickplane’, Mr Makinson as ‘Top-sh*g’ or Doctor-sh*ggard’, and